Speculation: Marchessault in Las Vegas long term.

BattleBorn

50% to winning as many division titles as Toronto
Feb 6, 2015
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Bellevue, WA


I'm a little worried about this upcoming offseason with all our pending UFAs. It didn't seem like a major issue back when the team was going to stink it up and have Fleury steal games to keep the record competitive. However, we know we've got some good players now that should be a part of the long term plan instead of flipping them for draft picks, and Marchessault seems like a good person to keep around.

James Neal has said similar things to Marshmellow, and I'm sure a few other players would as well.

Do you see Marchessault as a major part of our core going forward?
Do you think he's still worth it at $6MM/year and a potential loss of a 1st rounder that could possibly come our way if he's traded as a rental?
 

VanIslander

A 19-year ATDer on HfBoards
Sep 4, 2004
35,130
6,428
March has been up and down this season and is up now so should sign asap. If he doesn't and Smith & Karlssson do instead, I ain't losing any sleep over it.
Again, I think this squad's future this postseason and next season rests shortterm with the trio of Perron, Neal and Sbisa. Full stop.

ASIDE:
James Neal has said similar things to Marshmellow,...
Gawd. :facepalm: I spent half this week teaching a winter lesson that includes "marshmallows" as an ingredient in hot chocolate., NOT spelt like mellow feeling.

HOT-CHOCOLATE-W-MARSHMALLOW1.jpg


One smart*** (but dang smart) middle school student said on Monday that hot chocolate with marshmallows makes him feel MELLOW! To which I could only say the sugar and caffeine should make him feel EXCITED, not mellow.
 
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BattleBorn

50% to winning as many division titles as Toronto
Feb 6, 2015
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Bellevue, WA
You know what?

I knew the marshmallow thing, I even made fun of that Marshmello guy for spelling his name that way. I'm super disappointed in myself for falling into the mellow.
 
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IceNeophyte

Registered User
Nov 14, 2017
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I'd take the known over the unknown, given a choice. Marche is a solid contributor to this team's success, and I could see him as part of the core of the team's future. A first round pick might work out or not. I'm not sure how many more years Neal has in him at high level.
 

Ginormousthumbs

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Jul 7, 2013
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I would not be surprised if Neal and Fleury are dealt before the deadline. In fact, wouldn’t it be in the Knights best interest, long term, to deal them?
 

BattleBorn

50% to winning as many division titles as Toronto
Feb 6, 2015
12,069
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Bellevue, WA
I would not be surprised if Neal and Fleury are dealt before the deadline. In fact, wouldn’t it be in the Knights best interest, long term, to deal them?
I wouldn't mind keeping Neal around, but I seem to value draft picks less than most. I'm guessing I'd not want him around for as many years as he'd like to stay around.
 

Ginormousthumbs

Registered User
Jul 7, 2013
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I wouldn't mind keeping Neal around, but I seem to value draft picks less than most. I'm guessing I'd not want him around for as many years as he'd like to stay around.

Plus he’s probably going to want top dollar and if this team is building for the future.....you know.
 

MCassel

Registered User
Nov 29, 2017
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I would not be surprised if Neal and Fleury are dealt before the deadline. In fact, wouldn’t it be in the Knights best interest, long term, to deal them?

Long term, of course. However, as McPhee and Foley have both said, if this team is in come February, why break up something that's working? It'll set us back of course long term if we miss out acquiring picks we would get at the deadline for anyone of Neal, Perron, March, Sbisa, etc. but the front office seems content to let the team tell them what to do in February based on standings.

My Kansas City Royals were in a similar situation this past deadline, they went for it and kept their core of FAs that are about to walk this month and it didn't work out at all, but it sends a message to the players that they will go for it if they feel they've got a shot. As a fan, I love it, I'm a big fan of getting to the dance and letting whatever happen, happen.
 

Aurinko

Registered User
Apr 1, 2015
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Marchy has had horrible +/- , but he is working on it and improving fast. Sign him and Karlsson ASAP before their price skyrockets.

That being said I'm 100 % up for whatever the management goes with. So far they've made close to perfect decisions turned everything into gold and I'm sure whoever plays here appreciates the great environment and shines.
 
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Bart9349

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Jul 4, 2016
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Nevada Jones

I like hockey.
Jun 28, 2017
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Somewhere in Oregon.
I would be surprised to see Flower dealt this season, as he had been so hyped as the "face of the franchise." But you never know. Recovering from his concussion, he has largely disappeared from public view. And other players have emerged that I expect have now become fan favorites.

Understand the whole build for the future plan, and I'm sure it's the most effective way to go. The early success of the VGKs has certainly complicated the situation, but I'm glad GMGM seems to be flexible regards player moves depending on where we are nearing the trade deadline.

I'm not so well-versed on the whole business/assets/trading aspect, and as an ignorant fan I'd like to see the team largely stay intact this season as long as they're threatening a playoff spot.

Also, I wonder about alienating new fans who see a team doing better than expected and then being torn apart in the hope of being even more competitive down the road. Wouldn't want to turn folks off when you're trying to build a fanbase, which I think is going quite well so far and has certainly been aided by the team's on-ice success.
 
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BattleBorn

50% to winning as many division titles as Toronto
Feb 6, 2015
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I think your skepticism is not unwarranted. This thread is a cautionary history of the failures of drafts, for example:

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/threads/the-weakest-first-rounds-in-draft-history.2406609/
The way I look at it, you've got an okay chance to get another, younger James Neal in a few years if you trade him now. However, if you're trading to a contender, you've got a second half 1st rounder and the chances of selecting a future NHL phenom drop dramatically the later in the draft you pick.

However, the scouts seem to have done a fairly good job with some of their later picks in the short time we've seen them and they obviously did really well finding players that can contribute in the expansion draft.
 

derriko

Registered User
Mar 7, 2009
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Las Vegas
March is the leading scorer on the team. Best forward? No...but is at worst a very solid 2nd liner.

6 mil? Mmmm I’d do it if it was short term. March I think is better than Smith and Smith got a 5x5 deal when the cap was lower. He is arguably somewhat overpaid, but if the term for March was limited to no more than 4 years (buys up all his prime years) I would go to 6.

Wouldn’t surprise me if he wants to go to the market though since he’s been so underpaid the past year or two.
 

Matias Maccete

Chopping up defenses
Sep 21, 2014
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What if you can get close to NHL ready prospects for guys like Neal perron and march instead of picks? Could be a much easier sell to the fanbase since they'll be ready much sooner, and it's a bit more of a known quantity.

I also wonder if you could trade those guys with the understanding that you'll give them good contract offers in the off season. Even if fans are pissed at the moment, if in the off season some of those guys come back, plus you get some talented players ready to step in.

It would still suck to sell guys off in a season where you're winning, and may not be feasible just because of that. If you're in the playoffs, it's hard to sell off any pieces regardless of the situation.
 
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derriko

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Mar 7, 2009
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It’s a great idea in theory, but it never works out that way. Trading a pending UFA at the deadline essentially means they are gone permanently. I see it suggested every year, and every year it doesn’t happen.

I shouldn’t say never, but it literally happens once every 4-5 years.

Neal and Perron don’t play with speed. They have size and strength and play the cycle game. I have no problem signing them up to 4-5 years since they are both only 29. You don’t lose your strength in your early-mid thirties. You lose a step. That would kill certain players careers, but not these guys imo.
 
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willy702

Registered User
Jul 3, 2016
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I would not be surprised if Neal and Fleury are dealt before the deadline. In fact, wouldn’t it be in the Knights best interest, long term, to deal them?

Ah the long term interests. Well its in everyone's interest to trade anyone who is free agent age for the "long term". I mean imagine what the Pens could get by trading Crosby and Malkin! This long term thing is overblown, you build for the long term when your near term sucks or is about to. Smart GMs prune the team as they go, letting older guys go or not signing them to deals they will regret. In this case GMGM has a nice long list of free agents he's able to let go soon, if he is certain that some are gone and someone else wants them, he should make a deal. He shouldn't make trades to intentionally get worse in hopes the future gets better, leave that to the truly bad teams.
 
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Puckrobber

Backup Netminder
Feb 28, 2016
337
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I say if the team is playing playoff hockey throughout the season, up to the deadline, keep everyone. If you get a chance to add a top-notch player for the stretch run, take a hard look. But, there's no reason to sell guys off for "future hope", if they're playing like one of the best teams in the league.

Only reason to do that, in that situation, would be for a sure-fire Top 5 pick.
 
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willy702

Registered User
Jul 3, 2016
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I say if the team is playing playoff hockey throughout the season, up to the deadline, keep everyone. If you get a chance to add a top-notch player for the stretch run, take a hard look. But, there's no reason to sell guys off for "future hope", if they're playing like one of the best teams in the league.

Only reason to do that, in that situation, would be for a sure-fire Top 5 pick.

And top five picks to be never get traded at the deadline unless the GM is an absolute idiot. I could see Neal or Marchy being worth a low first rounder to a desperate team, but with all the hype for this upcoming draft it seems a 2nd may be all that would be offered. And since bad teams aren't going to trade for them, that 2nd is at best somewhere in the 45-50th pick range.
 
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hangman005

Face for Radio, Voice for Silent Movies
Apr 19, 2015
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If this team is in good playoff position come the deadline, I have no problems going for the short term gains. All I want is for this team to be competitive night in and night out... the winning is just a bonus. I'd like to Marchessault locked up I think he's a useful piece for this team to have regardless, Wouldn't mind keeping the whole team really if we could get favorable terms.
 

Matias Maccete

Chopping up defenses
Sep 21, 2014
9,645
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It’s a great idea in theory, but it never works out that way. Trading a pending UFA at the deadline essentially means they are gone permanently. I see it suggested every year, and every year it doesn’t happen.

I shouldn’t say never, but it literally happens once every 4-5 years.

Neal and Perron don’t play with speed. They have size and strength and play the cycle game. I have no problem signing them up to 4-5 years since they are both only 29. You don’t lose your strength in your early-mid thirties. You lose a step. That would kill certain players careers, but not these guys imo.
Both Michalek and vermette did with the yotes just like 2 years ago. I think it depends on the situation though, both of those guys were down for the rebuild, and it was very clear that the team was in rebuild mode. If you trade guys off of a team that's at least in contention for the playoffs, they may not want to return. Good points on Neal and perron, really if all the pending UFAs have reasonable contract demands, it's hard not to keep them.
 

LadyStanley

Registered User
Sep 22, 2004
105,727
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Sin City
The team has done well (culturally) toward acquiring new players, especially with the way they've played this season and the great environment of T-Mobile and the acceptance of the city/region.

It's a balancing act of knowing you need to draft and develop players **for the long run**. The cap has limited the ability of teams to be able to "buy" their way out of problems (acquiring new guys to fill the holes).

My guess is some of the guys with expiring contracts have been approached (or through their agents) about player's desire/intention of being around team long term. McNabb (26) has already been re-signed. GMGM indicated he wanted "younger" players, so unless you're a top producer older than 30, probably won't be back. Neal and Fleury are both older than 30. Neal has stated he's looking to settle down (bought a house in Nashville).

(Age is one reason why I thought that although the Sharks exposed Joel Ward, who has a long/good relationship with GMGM, I didn't think he'd be picked in expansion draft.)

Definitely need to look at entire depth chart to determine if GMGM wants guy to possibly stick around, and/or willing to cut losses and let walk. Just because a player's age starts with a 3 does not mean he WON'T be re-signed. Some experience is still needed to help with the younger guys.
 
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